Guantanamo Bay Detention Program: A $13 Billion Controversy

The Guantanamo Bay detention program has been a contentious issue for nearly a quarter-century, with a staggering price tag of over $13 billion. Despite its high cost, the program has been deemed ineffective and unnecessary. Here are some key points highlighting the controversy:

- 24 Years of Detention: The first detainees arrived at Guantanamo Bay 24 years ago, with a total of 780 men passing through the prison. Nearly all were tortured in an attempt to obtain information.

- Low Conviction Rate: Only nine detainees have been charged with war crimes, with just two convictions. Nine men have died in detention.

- Exorbitant Costs: The annual operating cost of Guantanamo Bay is over $540 million, translating to more than $14 million per detainee. This is significantly higher than the cost of detaining prisoners in Supermax facilities, which ranges from $60,000 to $70,000 per year.

- Security Concerns: Despite the high security costs, the facility's degrading condition and increasing health needs of the remaining prisoners will likely drive costs up further.

- Congressional Prohibition: The main obstacle to closing Guantanamo Bay is a congressional prohibition on transferring detainees to the United States for trial or imprisonment. This has resulted in billions of dollars in unnecessary spending.

As President Obama once stated, Guantanamo Bay is a "stain" on American commitment to the rule of law, and its continued operation is a costly reminder of this failure.

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